1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rack for microwave ovens, and more particularly, to a rack configured to contain therein a liquid to prevent food from being burnt at regions where the food is supported by the rack, and a microwave oven set equipped with the rack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a traditional microwave oven is an appliance to cook food using microwaves. That is, water molecules contained in food are vibrated while rotating in the microwave oven when they are subject to microwaves irradiated into a cooking chamber where the food is placed. Frictional heat is generated among the water molecules to thereby cook the food. Recently, microwave ovens of a new concept have been used and provide a new cooking function in addition to the traditional cooking function carried out by microwaves. For example, a grill-type microwave oven including a heater adapted to provide a food baking function, and a convection-type microwave oven including a fan adapted to convect hot air have been used.
FIG. 1 illustrates a microwave oven 100 having a function to radiate heat onto food to cook the food, and a rack 103 to support the food thereon. The microwave oven 100 also includes a door 104, a cooking chamber 101 selectively openable by the door 104, and a heater 102 rotatably installed in the cooking chamber 101. The rack 103 includes a plurality of spaced rack bars 103a adapted to support food thereon, and a plurality of legs 103b adapted to space the rack bars 103A apart from a bottom of the cooking chamber 101 by a desired distance. Typically, the rack bars 103a are made of iron and plated with a nickel or chromium film.
Where a cooking procedure is to be carried out using the microwave oven 100 equipped with the rack 103 by radiating heat onto food, the heater 102 is first rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow, as shown in FIG. 1. Thereafter, the rack 103 is disposed in the cooking chamber 101. The food to be cooked is then placed on the rack bars 103a of the rack 103. The microwave oven 100 is thereby operated to cook the food.
Where food is cooked in a state in which it is placed on the conventional rack 103, the rack bars 103a of the rack 103 receive the heat generated to be radiated onto the food in accordance with an operation of the heater 102. There may exist excessive heat because each of the rack bars 103a is made of an iron bar plated with a nickel or chromium film, thereby causing the food to be burnt at portions which contact the rack bars 103a. Such a phenomenon may occur particularly where the food to be cooked is fish.